The Doc and Mr Appleton
by ohiomyown
Summary: This modern day alternate-ending story brings Ennis and Jack together once again -  this time in Iowa.  You will be sure to recognize them, and hear their voices as you did the first time around.  I hope you  enjoy their newest journey.
1. Chapter 1

At seven o'clock of a clear April morning, Doctor Ennis (Will) Wilkinson arrived at Appleton Farms. He lithely stepped from his truck without spilling the coffee from his ever-present travel mug, and began walking toward the dozen horses in the paddock. The tall young vet had been doctoring the Appleton stock for a couple of years, inoculating on a routine basis, and making sure they stayed in top notch condition.

He was in his element, enjoying the smells of fresh spring grass and horseflesh as well as hay, manure and horse liniment when he thought he heard a gurgling or a gasping sound. Will stepped into the dimness of the barn, Mary Anne Appleton was lying face up on the ground: her hue was tending toward blueberry. He immediately went to her, checked her airway, positioned her head and began CPR. He thumbed his blackberry and called for an ambulance.

Continuing to resuscitate Mrs. Appleton, Will hoped for someone to come inside the barn, or to notice something was amiss. He didn't know if her son was in residence now, or if he was traveling on business.

Leon Lewis was an answer to a prayer; he had happened by and looked in to see why things were eerily quiet.

"Check to see if there's any family at the house, okay?" called Will.

"Okay, anything else?"

Huffing slightly, he nodded. "Yeah, come back out and direct the ambulance here."

Leon pounded repeatedly on the door, looking back over his shoulder to see if help was on the way down the lane yet. He pounded once again, calling "Anybody home?"

The ranch hand was so nervous; he barely waited 30 seconds before going back to the barn and checking on Mrs. Appleton. Then, bouncing on the soles of his feet, he ran down the lane hoping to see the ambulance coming. It was at that moment that he heard the sirens approaching.

Jackson Appleton's flight from Kentucky was delayed the night before; he didn't get in bed until almost 3:30 a.m. and he was slow to emerge from his deep slumber.

The knocking had barely roused him but hearing the first keening wails of the ambulance, he was alarmed and immediately alert. He ran downstairs in his sleep pants and rumpled dark hair. He followed the EMT into the barn. Seeing Will giving CPR to his mother made Jack weak in the knees. He swayed against a bale of hay, but quickly gathered his composure.

The vet glanced up as he relinquished the patient to the EMT's. "You should probably get dressed so you can go with her." Jack's eyes finally cleared and he nodded. He ran toward the house.

Jack donned clean clothes, and his old boots, finger-combed his hair and descended the stairs two at a time. All the while his mind ran a loop "hold on mom, you gotta be okay; hold on mom, you gotta be okay."

While the EMT's stabilized Mary Anne for transport, they brought her son up to date. They declined to confirm that his mother had had a heart attack, but credited Dr. Will with saving her life.

Will was checking Jack's coloring; watching for symptoms of shock, but knew that it was out of his hands now. The EMT's had everything under control.

He walked back into the barn to claim items he'd dropped when he spotted the woman in distress.

His back was to the door, so he did not see Jackson return to find him. When he heard a step nearby, he looked up in surprise. A solemn faced man

clutched a handful of the doctor's shirt, pulling him close. "Thank God you were here for my mother." The next thing he did was completely unexpected.

He dipped his head and kissed Dr. Ennis Wilkinson directly on the lips. It was a quick thrust, planted in a business-like way. "I gotta go now." He then strode to the ambulance and climbed in.

tbc


	2. Chapter 2

In the waiting room of Brighton Hospital, Jackson was pacing the floor, having given up on the dog-eared magazines lying around on low tables. His first moments here had been spent giving his mother's name, age, her insurance card numbers, and all manner of invasive information that the admission personnel seemed to require.

He'd been here for hours. However, according to his watch, it was really only 23 minutes since the ambulance had arrived, and they had swiftly brought his mother in on the gurney where she had been handed over to the nurses and doctors.

At this very moment the EMT's had just now finished their own paperwork, and scuttled on out to save someone else. What a job they had. Well, he was so grateful to them now, though he'd never given them a moments' thought before. Jackson dropped his head into his hands as he sat in the low-slung and very uncomfortable chairs provided.

His cell rang, and it was with bleary eyes that he checked the screen. 'Hm, who is Ennis Wilkinson' he mused. "Yes?"

"Jackson? This is Will. How is your mother doing?"

He recognized the deep warm tones of the man's voice and strangely, felt a bit safer. "They haven't come out to talk to me yet. I'm completely in the dark."

"Would you like some company?"

"Yes, that would be very kind of you. I'm afraid I'm not very good company right now. But please come if you can."

"I just have one more patient to see, but I'll be on my way soon. Hang in there, Jack."

Another thirty minutes passed before a doctor came out to talk to the family members, if any, of Mary Anne Appleton. After they made each other's acquaintance, the doctor briefly summarized for Jack regarding today's episode. It was a heart attack, he confirmed.

"I've notified her cardiologist."

"Wait! My mother has a cardiologist?"

"Ah, you do not live with her then?"

"I do. However, I travel extensively for our business."

"And perhaps your mother has tried keeping her little secrets. But at this point, you will need to be fully informed, as well as to meet her doctor, Susan Cothron, it says here."

"May I see my mother now, Dr. Kelly?"

"You may, but I'm afraid she's been sedated, and will be asleep."

Will walked in during this exchange with the doctor. He nodded his "hello" to Jackson.

"I heard. You go on, I'll be right here when you need a ride home."

Jack followed Frank Kelly down the quiet corridors; winding his way through the maze of hallways to reassure himself that his mother still lives. At her bedside, he spent several minutes just watching her chest rise and fall while he held her hand, avoiding all the tape, clamps and tubes attached to her.

His mind and heart were filled with gratitude for all these life-giving as well as life-saving contraptions; and for the doctors, nurses, EMT's and most of all, for Will Wilkinson.

He bent his head and kissed his mothers cheek, dripping one small tear onto her face from his own. He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand before spying a tissue box on her bedside table. He blew his nose, then bent and kissed her one last time before walking out of the room.

On the way back to the Appleton Farms Will asked Jackson if he'd eaten anything all day. When Jack shook his head, Will pulled into a diner and they walked silently into the warm fragrant interior.

After hot cakes, eggs, bacon and coffee, the men were stretched out on opposite sides of the booth, each deep in thought.

"I think I could sleep for a week," groaned Jackson.

"I know; the adrenaline and then the waiting takes its toll."

Jack scrubbed his face with his hands and then ran them through his hair. "I want to be back at the hospital first thing, guess we'd better get to the house."

"Right. Let's move." They both threw bills on the table for their food and tip, "You know you don't need to rush up to the hospital in the morning. You can get a good night's sleep. Your mother is in good hands."

Jackson looked at Will with a sadness that almost overwhelmed him.

"You don't understand. I haven't seen my mother conscious for over four days. I need this more to reassure myself, than for anything I might be able to do for her."

"Right."

After they were driving along for a few minutes, Jack looked at the vet "So. Is your name Will, or what?"

Ennis laughed. "Most people call me Will because my last name is Wilkinson. But my first name is Ennis. Will is easier or easier to remember, I guess."

"When your name came up on my cell today, I didn't have a clue who was calling. Which name do you prefer I call you?"

"I answer to just about anything," he said with a bright smile.

"I think Ennis fits you better. By the way, how did you know my cell?"

"I got it from Leon. Hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind in the least. You've been more than kind, not to mention saving my mother's life."

"I'm just glad I was there."

They pulled up to the house, and Ennis left the truck idling. He stretched his arm across the back of the seats as Jack got out.

"Good night Jack," he said.

"Ennis? Can we get together and talk soon? There are some things I need to say to you."

"You bet. You have my number now."

tbc


	3. Chapter 3

It was three afternoons later when the doc checked his messages after a busy day of heavy patient load to find that he had missed a text from Jackson.

"_Call__ me __when __you __get __a __break__.__.__.__want __to __see __you._"

Ennis stopped at home to have a cup of coffee and relax for a bit. On second thought, he grabbed a beer instead. He wanted to return Jack's call, but was anxious about it. '_What__ were __they __doing? __Where __was __this __going_?' he wondered as he peeled the label off his beer bottle.

The young man wanted very badly to see where this might go, but was cautious to a fault. He'd once or twice been burned, but his spirit had not yet been broken. He picked up his cell phone.

One hour later, Ennis drove up to the Appleton house, his heart thudding in his chest. Jackson stepped out onto the porch and greeted him warmly, hugging him and slapping his back. "Come in, come in, mother wants to see you."

Mary Anne remained seated but held out her arms to Ennis, who formerly she had known only as her veterinarian. He knelt in front of her chair so she could hold onto and talk to him, looking into his eyes. "My boy tells me you saved my life. The doctors confirmed that it was a close call, and if not for immediate CPR, I would have been gone. I don't know how to thank you."

"I'm just glad I was there, ma'm,' he stated quietly.

"You must know how grateful I am. Please, tell me what I can do for you."

Ennis smiled from ear to ear. "You can live well for many years. That's it!"

"And with that, it's time for you to rest, young lady!" demanded Jack. He held out his arm to support his mother and to guide her to her bedroom. With his mother in tow, Jack turned his head to Ennis and gave him a leer, and a wink.

While Jackson was gone from the room, Ennis struggled to get his emotions under control, and his pink cheeks back to normal. He was not feeling shy; he was feeling excited and uncertain.

Jack came out having gotten his mother settled, and pulled Ennis into a light embrace. "Guess you can tell that the entire Appleton family has fallen head over heels for you," murmured Jack. "think you can handle that?"

"Well, I don't know if - -"

Before the doc could finish his sentence, Jackson put a finger under his chin and turned his face to him before softly settling his lips upon Ennis'. "I've always wanted to do that," he whispered. "Come sit on the sofa where I can get at you better." He smiled at his own direct statement.

Jack took Ennis' hand to lead him to the couch but not waiting for more discussion, Ennis pulled Jack back to him, hard against his body and kissed him with an unspoken but obvious need. He held on tightly, sharing kisses that gave him such pleasure, he could almost faint.

For his own and Jackson's safety, Ennis pushed them up against the sideboard to keep from falling. The benefits of this action included feeling the hard length of the other man, including his erection which was now quite obvious. Before he could decide if it was a wise move, his hand went to that erection, pressing and rubbing. Jack gasped and pulled back from Ennis giving himself room to attack the man's shirt buttons and grope for belt buckles.

Suddenly and only momentarily lucid, Ennis realized they were standing in front of the big picture window in the living room. As much as he wanted to be naked right now, with this man, he hesitated. "Uh, is there somewhere…?"

Jack couldn't seem to remove his lips from Ennis' but his sex-addled brain finally landed upon the issue of privacy. "Ah. Okay." He led Will/Ennis to his bedroom.

Behind the closed and locked door, they tried to undress each other but soon realized that their goal would be reached much more quickly if they did their own disrobing. Boots skidded across the room and under various pieces of furniture; but shirts, pants, watches, wallets and everything else . . . wherever they landed; they stayed unnoticed for the next hour or so.

They gratefully fumbled against the bed and sank onto it.

'_There__'__s__ never__ enough __flesh__ against__ flesh,__ never__ enough.__ For__ me, __the__ pleasure__ of __feeling __this __man__'__s __weight__ against __me, __his__ heat,__ his__ smell,__ his__ hardness __is __everything. __Ah. __It__'__s __too__ much, __it__'__s __never __enough,__' _thought Ennis.

Their initial coupling was strong, demanding and rough. They yelled out their climaxes and held firm to each other, softening. They snuggled, nearly dozing. But inevitably firmness began again in both, a desire swirled where it had blazed before. Little seeking movements began anew. Small knowing smiles spread across faces. They fucked appreciatively, enjoying each other. They slept.

They awoke hungry as bears. Both wearing some of Jack's comfy socks, tee shirts and sleep pants; they roamed the kitchen looking for fuel. They were happily depleted. Laden with a tray full of sandwiches, iced tea and cookies they made their way back to the bedroom.

Once they had consumed their meal, they began playfully nibbling on body parts. Nipples were fair play, as well as earlobes, necks, even toes. Neither could remember being so enamored of another's body, not for a long time, maybe never. Inevitably, the smiles and playfulness disappeared, and they inserted fingers and penises in every reachable orifice, probing and being probed, they fucked again.

The sweet morning light dappled across Jack's bed when next they awoke.

Feeling happy and silly, Jack leaned up on one elbow and tickled Ennis' ear with his tongue. "now what did you say your name was again?"

A Sousa March blared out from the floor; Doctor Will's ringtone. Leaning out of bed and reaching into his jumble of clothing to find the pocket where the phone resided, he discovered it, thumbed it on and spoke. "Wilkinson here."

tbc


	4. Chapter 4

The next few months were bittersweet for Jackson and Will. They were inseparable; or as much as they could be because of their busy jobs.

They had stars in their eyes, but their feet had to be securely on the ground. Mary Anne was recovering nicely; however, she was going through a pretty typical depression. Jack took his mother to physical therapy and made sure she took her medication, and got her proper rest. All these therapies worked to improve her strength and to alleviate the dark moods. In addition, two or three nights a week they spent in her company. Some evenings, they managed to cajole her into playing Yahtzee or Chinese checkers.

Eventually, her spirits were up more often than down. She felt especially good following her daily walk with her young men. Jack would not let her walk alone yet. He was afraid she'd fall; or worse, have another attack. They talked non-stop while they strolled, and the three of them became friends as well as their original connections.

When Jackson needed to travel to Kentucky again, he hoped Ennis would be able to go with him. Mary Anne asked her youngest sister, Bitsy, to come visit for a week or so to look out for her. She immediately agreed.

All that remained was for Dr. Will to find a vet to cover for him during his absence. He ran into obstacles every which way he turned. Finally, with only one day to spare, he found that a new young vet assistant was coming home to the area, and with this able-bodied help available, the retired vet, Doc Bennett, agreed to over-see Will's practice for a bit. He had refused to cover on his own, so this was a perfect blend of experience and energy. Will's specialty was Large Animals. His usual patients were horses, cows, hogs, goats and other farm animals, requiring Will to go to them – not the other way around.

Ennis' last 24 hours in Fort Dodge were spent giving out contact information and introducing his clients to Kyle. Vet Assistant, Kyle Kinser, kept up the pace with Doc Will all that day, meeting many of his current patients.

At last they were off!

Jackson drove first; the vet was dead on his feet. The poor guy got some sleep that first morning out, waking only when they pulled off the highway into a truck stop called Dukes.

Ennis scooped up cold water in his hands and scrubbed his face, hoping it would make him feel refreshed, and not so groggy. They'd only been on the road a couple hours, he saw. Jack claimed a table and they got coffee while they looked at the menus.

"You always stop here?"

"No, I usually fly."

"So, you don't know what's good."

"No. But I saw a trucker over there with a humongous plate of fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, creamed dried beef, and it looked like it was on toast. . ."

"Okay, I see a picture here that looks like that. The Barnyard Buster, it's called."

They ordered and got their coffees re-filled.

Almost simultaneously, they stretched out, leaned back and closed their eyes, deeply sighing. "You sound done-in too; want me to drive from here?"

"Naw, I'll take it to the border; how's that?"

"Works for me."

"Did you take a lot of road trips with your family?"

"Some, yeah. My daddy lost the ranch and we picked up work wherever we could. Saw most of the Midwest, either picking fruit or carpentering when we got lucky. You?"

"No definitely not. My daddy was an asshole, and he never took us anywhere."

"That's a shame, Jack."

"Yeah but when I was eleven or twelve, mother married Mr. Appleton and it has all been better since then. She divorced my old man; she says she left him to stew in his own bitter juices."

"Wow. But your name . . . "

"I took my dad's name legally; the only one who deserved to be called Dad,"

"Where is he now?"

"Aaron Appleton died the year I graduated from A&M. He did get to see me cross that stage, I'm happy to say. We still miss him, mother and me."

"What was your name before you changed it?"

"I'd rather not say; makes me angry to even hear it. I'm Jackson Appleton."

"Good enough for me, then."

"You grow up in Iowa?"

"No. Illinois; but I came here for veterinarian school and stayed. Like it."

"You still got your parents, Ennis?"

"No; not as lucky as you. Have a sister and a brother though. We're not close any more."

"We'll be crossing into Illinois in a few hours, want to look them up?"

Ennis flushed, turned a little bit pink. "I thought this trip was for the two of us, to be together," he said quietly.

"Point made. Damned if you ain't right!" Jack reached his knee over to rub Ennis' leg, wherever he could touch him.

"Let's head on out if you're ready. I think as exhausted as we both are, we should make it an early night tonight."

"Sounds like a Blue Ribbon idea to me," agreed Ennis.

They ate a light super, showered, shaved, and got into bed at the Marriott in Peoria. They spent a luxurious ten minutes stretching and relaxing each muscle. Heavenly! They both turned on their stomachs, had their arms wrapped around their pillows just so, and their faces turned toward one another.

"When did you first realize that you liked boys better than girls? If that's the case, I haven't even asked you if you're Bi, or what," Jack stated awkwardly.

"No, just boys; well, men now. As to 'when' I'd have to say that I was 9 or 10 when I noticed my preference."

"Isn't that really young?"

"Yes, I suppose so. But we were at a picnic; mom and dad's friends all gathered, playing baseball, eating fried chicken, you know, the whole nine yards."

"Mmm hmmm."

"Well, I noticed dad's best friend Paul, how good looking he was, and I realized I was crushing on him. Not his well endowed wife, but Paul, a

man's man. That was the first time I knew. After that, I paid closer attention."

"To the Men?"

"No. To my reaction to the men. It really wasn't sexual at first, it was – I know this sounds stupid, but - it was romantic."

"When did it become sexual?"

"Within a couple years, I was like, 11 or 12. Course it was all in my head, I never let anyone know about it. What about you?"

"I knew early on, too. But I thought I was the weirdo of the world, the only one, and my daddy saw it in me. Beat the hell out of me."

"Christ! What for?"

"I was in first grade; getting off the school bus. I smiled and waved at my "friend" Jeremy. I was truly smitten, and it showed all over my face. Mother thought he was going to kill me."

"What did she do?"

"She threw him out, that's when she began divorce proceedings. He never put his hands on me again."

"That's good."

A few moments passed with no more conversation. They realized that they were fading, eyes drooping, and soon would be sawing logs. Jack leaned over to kiss Ennis good night, and they snuggled momentarily. Then the lights were turned out.

"Good night, gorgeous."

"Mmm mmm you too."

tbc


End file.
